Field emitter arrays (FEAs) are versatile cold cathodes. However, they have not found widespread adoption in demanding device applications due to, among other things, the sensitivity of field-emitted currents to emitter tip radii spread (spatial non-uniformity) and to fluctuation of the work function (caused by gas adsorption and desorption at the tip surface (temporal non-uniformity)). Other issues include tip damage or burn-out from Joule heating due to micro-plasma explosion.